Local MSP Gil Paterson praised social enterprise, Inclusive Images, following his recent visit to their base in Old Kilpatrick.
Inclusive Images help local groups and organisations to tell their story through photography giving them imaginative and creative ways of highlighting issues within the community. Then they work with the groups to turn their photos into campaign and promotional materials.
“It was great to have a chat with Charlie, Inclusive Images have a great set-up and they provide a really valuable service to local groups. Sometimes pictures really can say so much more than words – look at iconic photos throughout history like the mushroom cloud over Nagasaki, the little girl running from napalm in the Vietnam war or Ed Miliband’s bacon sandwich.  Photography can be such a powerful medium for folk to get their point across directly to funders, partners and to politicians.  All with the added bonus that photography is fun!”

Make sure you have your say on airport noise.
The Glasgow Airport consultations on a Noise Action Plan and proposals to modernise the use of airspace are now well underway. With just under 6 weeks left before the consultations close it is time to make sure that you help shape the future policies of the airport by submitting your views.
As many of you will already know, I have been working on a solution to the problem of aircraft noise for a very long time now. I’ve held numerous meetings with the management of the airport, local community representatives and local authority officers over the years.
It’s an important issue as aircraft noise has significant repercussions for the sleep patterns, health and educational achievement of those people worse effected. World Health Organisation standards state that 50dBA of noise constitutes “annoyance” with “serious annoyance” kicking in at 55dBA.
That’s why I commissioned research and contracted experts to retro fit noise reduction measures to a house in Clydebank. Special roof-space insulation was installed which, as well as having noise dampening properties has the added advantage of high thermal properties so cuts down on heat loss thus reduces heating bills. Triple glazed windows were installed in a bedroom and that completed the project. I’m pleased to say that this experiment was an overwhelming success, reducing the noise penetration in a bedroom from 63dBA before installation to 45dBA (well within World Health Organisation standards) after installation.
When I presented my research to the Airport they agreed with my findings and I am delighted that they have voluntarily agreed to set up a retro fit scheme for the worst affected communities. Details of the scheme will be developed over the next few months.
The voluntary nature of the scheme is important as all control and legislation relating to aircraft rests with the UK Government in Westminster. The only power which our Government has is in ensuring that a Noise Action Plan consultation takes place every 5 years. This year’s consultation includes the potential for reducing the threshold to qualify for an insulation package from 66dBA to 63dBA. That’s why it is really important that as many people as possible take part. You can find the consultation document here www.glasgowairport.com/community/noise.
The other consultation taking place is entitled “Glasgow Airport Modernising Our Flightpaths is about proposals to upgrade navigational infrastructure technology in a bid to make better use of airspace. The document for this consultation can be found here www.glasgowairport.com/airspace
I appreciate that not everyone has access to email so if you would like to take part in the consultation in a more traditional form you can do so by writing to Airspace/Noise Consultation, Glasgow Airport Limited, Erskine Court, St Andrews Drive, Paisley, PA3 2SW 
Make sure you indicate that you are responding to the consultation.
 
ENDS
 

​Congratulations to West Dunbartonshire Council for Voluntary Services on their successful application to the Big Lottery Fund Scotland.
The group secured £123.060 which they will use to establish a bespoke befriending service for adults with complex needs. Through consultation with volunteers and service users of their generic befriending service they have identified a need for a more intensive form of support for some users. The grant will allow them to train and manage sixty volunteers to provide this enhanced support for sixty people.
I’m really pleased that they have secured funding to expand this very worthwhile service and will now be able to offer intensive support for some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

MSP Gil Paterson has backed calls for the Scottish Secretary to either deliver on his pledge to fully protect the powers of the Scottish Parliament or consider his position.

David Mundell has been accused of making promises he can’t keep over the powers which would return to Holyrood when the UK leaves the EU. 

Mr Mundell told the House of Commons he wants to ensure the Scottish Parliament has more powers and responsibilities than it does today, and that “any frameworks should not be imposed.”

However the current proposals in the Brexit Bill would see all powers from Brussels initially return to Westminster, before some are passed on to the devolved legislatures in full and others are incorporated into UK-wide frameworks.

The SNP has said that if the UK government’s amendment does not give the Scottish Parliament the right to consent to any changes to its powers - and would see frameworks imposed - then the Scottish Secretary must stick to his position, or step down. 

According to reports in the Herald, Whitehall sources say the UK Government will go “no further” in the power grab negotiations. The source said: “I don’t sense us moving from our position. We have already moved a hell of a long way and we can’t move any further in the way the Scottish Government want us to” and “We’re still talking and officials are working hard to find a way through, but I don’t know whether we can now bridge that gap.”

The Scottish Secretary has faced ongoing criticism for failing to stand up for Scotland in Westminster. The Scottish Tories failed to bring forward amendments to the Brexit Bill to protect Scottish devolution, despite all their promises, and the Scottish Secretary was missing from Chequers last week when Theresa May gathered her Cabinet for crucial Brexit talks. 

Mr Paterson joined SNP Westminster leader, Ian Blackford MP, in criticising David Mundell’s “deafening silence” over the UK government’s leaked Brexit papers saying “the Scottish Secretary must come clean about what he knew about the analysis which shows that a no-deal scenario could hit Scotland’s GDP by around 9%.

“David Mundell made a pledge to fully protect the powers of the Scottish Parliament. He is meant to be Scotland’s man in Westminster but when there are major decisions to be made he is not even invited to the table leaving Scotland without a voice. Whenever decisions go against the interests of the people of Scotland he’s no-where to be seen.

“Mr Mundell simply cannot be trusted to when it comes to fight for the best deal for Scotland and the Scottish Tory MPs are increasingly side-lined.
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“Once again it falls to the SNP to stand up for Scotland.”